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Biomedical subjects

S W Duffy

Publications and source records attributed to S W Duffy.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Relationship between alcohol abuse and low back pain.

One hundred and forty-two consecutive referrals attending a low back pain clinic were assessed with questionnaires and blood tests for their alcohol consumption and the severity of their low back pain. Alcohol abuse was found by questionnaires in 11% of patients and 24% had abnormal blood tests. These are higher than reported in the general population. However, the level of alcohol consumption or presence of abnormal tests did not correlate with the severity of the low back pain as assessed by the degree of disability. Nevertheless, the increased consumption of alcohol may contribute to the syndrome complex.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

The effect of breast-feeding on proliferation by infant lymphocytes in vitro.

The effect of breast-feeding on the development of lymphocyte responsiveness in infants has been studied. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 15 breast- and 15 bottle-fed infants were obtained sequentially between 6 days and 9 months of age. A number of agents were used to stimulate the cells in vitro and the resulting proliferative responses were compared between the two feeding groups. A hanging drop microculture system using serum-free medium, enabled spontaneous proliferation and proliferative responses to several stimuli (T and B cell mitogens, allogeneic lymphocytes, and antigen) to be studied at a range of cell concentrations and days of culture. Significant age-related differences were found between the responses of cells from the two feeding groups. Spontaneous proliferation and proliferative responses to the T cell mitogen phytohaemagglutinin and the antigen tetanus toxoid were significantly greater in the breast-fed group at the two earliest ages studied (6 days and 6 wk). Responses to mitogens which predominantly affect B cells, such as pokeweed mitogen and Staphylococcus aureus (Cowan), were similar in both feeding groups at this age. In contrast, from 3 to 9 months of age, responses of cells from bottle-fed infants were significantly greater to all stimuli than responses from breast-fed infants. One possible explanation for the higher level of proliferation by cells from newborn breast-fed infants, is that these infants may absorb the cell-growth factors and lymphokines known to be present in human colostrum and milk. These factors may stimulate T cells and/or their precursors in vivo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Breast Feeding↗
PubMed1986

A longitudinal study of gamma-interferon production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from breast- and bottle-fed infants.

Production of gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) in vitro by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 15 breast-fed and 15 bottle-fed infants has been studied from birth to 9 months of age and compared with production by adult cells. Using a Terasaki plate microculture system with serum-free medium, PBMC were stimulated with staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) and gamma-IFN production was assessed by an immunoradiometric assay. Cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMC) and PBMC from all infants secreted large quantities of gamma-IFN. The levels secreted did not change significantly with age over the 9 months of the study, nor did they differ from the levels secreted by adult cells. Cells from the bottle-fed infants secreted slightly more gamma-IFN than cells from breast-fed infants, but this difference was not significant. These results indicate that the potential for PBMC to secrete gamma-IFN in vitro is fully developed at birth in full-term infants and cannot therefore be further influenced by subsequent breast- or bottle-feeding. In addition, the greater susceptibility of infants than adults to certain bacterial and viral infections cannot be attributed to a deficiency in the potential of infant cells to secrete gamma-IFN in vitro.

Aging↗
PubMed1985

Respiratory consultations in asthmatic compared with non-asthmatic children in general practice.

In a retrospective study we found that before a diagnosis of asthma had been made children with asthma had consulted their general practitioner more often with respiratory symptoms than children who were non-asthmatic under the age of four. In the second, third, and fourth years the number of consultations differed significantly between the two groups. Asthma should be suspected in any child who presents often with respiratory symptoms. This should lead to earlier diagnosis in most cases.

Asthma↗
PubMed1984

The prognosis of specific types of salivary gland tumors.

The relative rarity of salivary gland cancers means that there are few follow-up studies based on substantial numbers on which estimates of prognosis of the individual histologic subtypes can be based. In an attempt to overcome this problem 106 reports of follow-up studies were examined. For 52 studies a statistical method was devised to calculate 5-year and 10-year survival rates in uniform fashion. Fifty-four reports, however, had to be discarded either because of inadequacy of the data provided or because certain data essential for statistical analysis was lacking. Sufficient data was available for the estimation of survival rates for 2298 malignant salivary gland tumors of four histologic types. The overall 5-year and 10-year survival rates were found to be as follows: acinic cell carcinoma 82% and 68%, respectively; mucoepidermoid carcinoma 71% and 50%, respectively; adenoid cystic carcinoma 62% and 39%, respectively; malignant mixed tumor 56% and 31%, respectively. Since the great majority (over 70%) of salivary gland tumors are pleomorphic adenomas, and also since complete excision of these tumors presents considerable difficulties, their recurrence-free rate was also estimated and found to be 96.6% after 5 years and 93.2% after 10 years.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1984

Wound healing in obstructive jaundice.

Wound healing has been investigated in 373 patients undergoing surgery for obstructive jaundice and 760 anicteric patients undergoing cholecystectomy. Reduced wound healing manifested by a higher frequency of wound dehiscence (3.2 per cent vs. 0.5 per cent) and incisional hernia (10.3 per cent vs. 1.8 per cent) was seen in the jaundiced patients. The factors related to this reduced wound healing have been analysed by univariate and multivariate analysis. The independent factors related to wound dehiscence in the 373 jaundiced patients were: an initial low haematocrit (less than 30 per cent), an initial low plasma albumin (less than 30 g/l], a history of pancreatitis, a malignant obstructing lesion, and postoperative wound and/or abdominal sepsis. Haematocrit, albumin and postoperative wound and/or abdominal sepsis were also independent factors for incisional hernia. A raised plasma bilirubin was not of independent significance for either wound dehiscence or incisional hernia. It is concluded that reduced wound healing occurs in jaundiced patients and that this is due to the associated features of poor nutritional status (manifested by low haematocrit and low albumin) and malignancy and not to the raised bilirubin per se.

Bilirubin↗
PubMed1984

Effect of nitrous oxide on halothane-induced hepatotoxicity in hypoxic, enzyme-induced rats.

The degree of hepatotoxicity induced by halothane in hypoxic (14% inspired oxygen), enzyme-induced (phenobarbitone treatment for 10 days), male Sprague-Dawley rats was assessed by histological examination and analysis of serum aspartate aminotransferase (Asp. AT) concentrations. There was a significant direct, linear relationship between dose of halothane and histology score (P = 2.96 X 10(-5), and Asp. AT concentration (P = 4.8 X 10(-5) ). The effect of administration of nitrous oxide before (70%) and during (86%) hypoxia was tested for in the presence and absence of 0.75% halothane. Nitrous oxide was found to produce no effect in the absence of halothane, but to potentiate the hepatotoxicity of 0.75% halothane (P = 0.0003 for Asp. AT and 0.0016 for histology scores). The possible mechanisms of this effect are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding. A significant complication after surgery for relief of obstructive jaundice.

A retrospective review of 409 patients with bile duct obstruction (373 undergoing definitive surgery and 36 undergoing laparotomy only) identified 27 patients who developed significant postoperative gastrointestinal bleeding necessitating transfusion. All 27 had undergone a definitive procedure to relieve obstruction. Nineteen patients required blood replacement of six or more units. The majority of patients bled in the first four postoperative days. The sites of hemorrhage were identified in 25 patients, gastric erosions being the most common lesions detected. Thirteen of the 27 patients died, seven due to overwhelming blood loss despite massive transfusion. Eight of the 27 required an operation because of bleeding. An analysis of the relationship between preoperative factors and gastrointestinal bleeding identified three factors that were independently associated with this complication. These were: 1) an initial hematocrit of 30% or less; 2) an initial leukocyte count in excess of 10 X 10(9)/l; and 3) a malignant obstructing lesion. Patients with two or all three of these factors were identified as being at very high risk of developing postoperative gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Bleeding into the upper gastrointestinal tract has been confirmed to be a major problem in the surgical management of patients with obstructive jaundice. Further studies of the etiology and prevention of this complication are indicated.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1984

Oblique-view mammography: adequacy for screening. Work in progress.

Single oblique-view mammography has been recommended for screening purposes. The authors present data indicating that using the oblique view only can allow 11% of cancers to remain undetected. The smallest and potentially curable cancers are most likely to be overlooked in this way; any possible benefit of screening is thereby reduced. Data are also presented to show that 39% of women may require other views, for reasons not necessarily related to cancer detection. It is therefore recommended that all women have four-view mammography (oblique plus craniocaudal views of each breast) at their first screening visit.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1984

A randomized prospective trial comparing the value of intravenous and preincisional cefamandole in reducing postoperative sepsis after operations upon the gastrointestinal tract.

A prospective randomized trial comparing prophylaxis with a single dose of cefamandole given intravenously and preincisionally with no antibiotics in patients who underwent elective and emergency operations upon the gastrointestinal tract has shown a significant reduction in the frequency of wound infections in patients receiving preincisional antibiotics over both control and intravenous groups. Fewer postoperative infections of the chest occurred in patients receiving antibiotics by either route, with hospital stay also being significantly reduced for patients who received prophylactic antibiotics before emergency operations. Preincisional cefamandole is effective in reducing postoperative sepsis after operations upon the gastrointestinal tract.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Infiltrating lobular carcinoma of the breast: an evaluation of the incidence and consequence of bilateral disease.

A histological review of 1003 invasive breast carcinomas identified 103 patients with infiltrating lobular carcinoma, for whom clinical and survival data were collected in each case. Six patients had bilateral carcinoma at diagnosis and 14 developed a contralateral carcinoma during the period of follow-up. The major factor predicting patients at risk of developing a contralateral carcinoma was histological type. Analysis of survival data on the patients with bilateral disease showed poor survival in the group with synchronous bilateral disease, but no difference in survival between patients with metachronous bilateral and unilateral disease. This suggests that the development of a metachronous contralateral carcinoma does not necessarily reduce the probability of survival of patients with infiltrating lobular carcinoma.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1983

Risk factors for breast cancer: relevance to screening.

In a study of risk factors for breast cancer in women aged between 40 and 60 information was obtained from 236 cases identified at a diagnostic clinic and 2962 controls with no breast abnormality who attended a screening clinic. Statistical analysis of the data used information on a further 167 women who had attended both clinics to correct for possible between clinic bias in questionnaire responses. Relative risk was estimated in four 5 year age groups, and a significant excess risk was found for women under 55 who had undergone previous breast biopsy and for women aged 50-55 who were premenopausal or who had a family history of breast cancer. No significant risk was found to be associated with marital status, age at first pregnancy, breast feeding, or use of hormonal drugs. It is concluded that epidemiological information is of little value in identifying high risk groups for a screening programme in this age range.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Risk factors relevant to cystic breast disease: a case-control study.

A total of 188 women aged 40-54 with cystic breast disease and 2213 asymptomatic controls were questioned in Edinburgh between 1974 and 1978 concerning marital, reproductive, and menstrual status, history of oral contraception use, history of previous breast complaints, and a family history of breast cancer. Women with a history of breast biopsy were at an increased risk of the disease and those past the menopause were at a decreased risk. These results agree with previous findings that the disease is most prevalent among premenopausal women and suggest that benign cystic disease of the breast does not share a common aetiology with breast cancer in the age range 40-54.

Adult↗